INCIDENCE OF COELIAC DISEASE IN CHILDREN WITH TOTAL IgA DEFICIENCY UNRECOGNISED BY AGA IgGs AND SUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSED BY AN ANTI-htTG ELISA IgG TEST

Key words: Coeliac disease, IgA deficiency, htTG

The serum of 134 subjects with IgA deficiency was studied by carrying out an ELISA IgG test for anti-htTG antibodies and an AGA IgG test. The ELISA test was positive in 16 cases out of 134: AGA IgG test was positive in 22 cases out of 134. Out of the 16 ELISA positive cases, 10 were also positive to intestinal biopsy. Out of the 22 AGA IgG positive cases, only 2 were also positive to intestinal biopsy. Than the ELISA IgG test for anti-htTG antibodies showed a much higher sensitivity and specificity than the AGA IgG test, and the incidence of coeliac disease in IgA-deficient subjects could be assessed to 7.4%.